On the go and no time to finish that story right now? Your News is the place for you to save content to read later from any device. Register with us and content you save will appear here so you can access them to read later.

As of the start of July 2016, more than 1.2 million doses of flu vaccine had been distributed.

Those seven-month statistics equal full-year statistics for the past three years.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman this month said the seasonal flu immunisation programme was being extended to the end of August.

"While we've had great uptake of the influenza vaccine this year, there may be people who haven't got around to getting immunised," he said.

"Ministry of Health surveillance data suggests that influenza rates have not yet peaked this winter.

"However, if levels start to increase in late winter as they did last year, it's important that people can still access the vaccine."

The influenza vaccine is free for people 65 and over, pregnant women, people with long-term health conditions such as severe asthma, and children under 5 who have been hospitalised for a respiratory illness.

The warmer weather that may be staving off flu is likely to continue.

"It doesn't mean there won't be cold snaps, but we think temperatures are very likely to be warmer than average for the remainder of winter and beginning of spring, for all of New Zealand," Niwa principal scientist Chris Brandolino said.